Executive summary

The Community-Led Urban Environmental Sanitation (CLUES) approach presents comprehen-

sive guidelines for the planning and implementation of environmental sanitation infrastructure
and services in disenfranchised urban and peri-urban communities. The planning approach builds
on a framework which balances the needs of people with those of the environment to support
human dignity and a healthy life. CLUES is a multi-sector and multi-actor approach accounting
for water supply, sanitation, solid waste management and storm drainage. It emphasises the
participation of all stakeholders from an early stage in the planning process.

This double page provides an overview of the CLUES approach with its three distinct elements:

• 7 planning steps
• 3 cross-cutting tasks relevant throughout the entire planning process, and
• The enabling environment which is required for sustainable interventions

Summary of the 7 planning steps

Step 1 Process Ignition and Demand Creation

The planning process begins with ignition and promotional activities. This step aims
to sensitise the community to environmental sanitation and hygiene issues and to
create momentum and a solid platform for community participation. After a partici-
pative community mapping exercise and the discussion of key concerns with the
residents in a first community meeting, an agreement on action is formulated and
a community task force is formed by previously identified community champions.
(page 19)

Step 2 Launch of the Planning Process

In step 2 all key stakeholders formally come together to develop a common un-
derstanding of the environmental sanitation problems in the intervention area and
agree on the process of how to address them. The launching workshop must be in-
clusive, well-structured and attract public attention. In step 2 stakeholders generate
a protocol agreement, an agreement on the project boundaries and an agreement
on the overall planning methodology and process. (page 23)

Step 3 Detailed Assessment of the Current Situation

In step 3 stakeholders compile information about the physical and socio-economic
environment of the intervention area. This step is important because it provides
necessary background information for all future planning steps. Outputs include a
refined stakeholder analysis, baseline data, and a thorough assessment of the ena-
bling environment and current levels of service provision. The main outcome of step
3 is a detailed status assessment report for the intervention area. (page 27)
Community-Led Urban Environmental Sanitation Planning

Step 4 Prioritisation of the Community Problems and Validation

In step 4 stakeholders deliberate the findings and implications of the assessment
report, and identify and prioritise the leading general and environmental sanita-
tion problems in the community. The main outcomes of step 4 are the validated
assessment report and an agreed-upon list of priority problems in the community.
(page 31)

6
 Step 5 Identification of Service Options
In step 5 the planning team, in consultation with environmental sanitation experts
and key stakeholders, uses an informed choice approach to identify one or two
environmental sanitation system options that are feasible for the intervention area
and can be studied in greater detail. The community and the local authorities reach
agreement based on an understanding of the management and financial implica-
tions of the selected systems. (page 33)

Step 6 Development of an Action Plan

In step 6 stakeholders develop local area action plans for the implementation of
the environmental sanitation options selected in step 5. The action plans must be
implementable by the community, the local authorities and the private sector. The
main output of step 6 is a costed and funded action plan that follows time sensitive,
output-based targets. Every action plan must contain an operation and maintenance
management plan to ensure the correct functioning of the sanitation system.
(page 39)

Step 7 Implementation of the Action Plan

As the goal of step 7 is to implement the CLUES action plan developed in step 6, this
last step is not strictly speaking part of the planning process. Stakeholders translate
the action plan into work packages which ultimately become contracts for imple-
menting the service improvements. The final stage of step 7 is the implementation
of the O&M management plan. (page 43)

Cross-cutting tasks
There are 3 cross-cutting tasks which are relevant throughout the entire planning process: (page 17)
1. Awareness Raising and Communication are key to creating demand and raising people’s abilities
to make informed choices about the most appropriate systems and technologies.
2. Capacity Development aims to strengthen skills for process management and collaborative
planning and skills like engineering, construction, operation and maintenance.
3. Process Monitoring and Evaluation allows one to identify and correct mistakes or imbalances
or even to change the shape and direction of the project before it is too late.

The six elements of the enabling environment

The enabling environment and how it is understood is a key determinant for successful project inter-
ventions. The six elements that define an enabling environment need to be nurtured and pro-actively
fostered to provide favourable conditions for environmental sanitation planning in challenging urban
environments. (page 49)
Government
Support
Community-Led Urban Environmental Sanitation Planning

Socio-cultural Legal and

Acceptance Regulatory
Framework
CLUES
Planning
Financial Institutional
Arrangements Arrangements

Skills and
Capacity